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' (No Model.)

J. 'MGCAHEY. v MACHINE FOR COVERING WIRES 0R GABLES No. 411,900. Patented Oct. 1, 1889.

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U ITED STATES- A'rnN'r Grrrcs.

JOHN MGCAHEY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE NElV ENGLAND BUTT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CO'VERING WIRES OR CABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,900, dated October 1, 1889.

Application filed June 27, 1889. Serial No. 315,784. (No model.)

To all 2072 0772, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MC-CAHEY, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Covering W'ires or Cables; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letro ters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. r

This invention relates to that class of machines used for covering wires, cables, &c., with a covering of tape, wire, or other material, and is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the right side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a vertical central section lengthwise of one of the tables and the mechanism on it. Fig. 4 is a top view of one of the tables and its mechanism; and Fig. 5 is a top view of one of the guide-tubes,sl1owing the adjustment of the tension of the tape on the tube. V

The frame of the machine consists of two upright side frames A A, connected together by horizontal plates called tables (I (Z d and by two bottom girts D. The top table (I supports that part of the machine that draws or feeds the wire or cable 5 through the guidetubes h while the winding is going on. The tables (1 and cl hold the guide-tubes h and mechanism for winding the covering on the 5 wire or cable as it passes through the guidetubes.

The tubes and other devices being essentially the same on both tables, a description of one set will answer for both tables.

The winding apparatus proper consists of a circular plate to, having gear-teeth made on its outer periphery and the upper edge of the plate extended out over the teeth to protect them. This plate a has a hub a on its under side, which is turned and fitted in abearing in the table to serve as a support for the plate to rotate on. Another huh (I. is put on the top of the plate, and is fitted to receive the guide-tube 7a., which is made larger at its lower end and recessed out to fit on the end of the top hub. A set-screw a is tapped into one side of the recessed portion of the tube h, by which it may be held fast on the hub when set in any position. A central opening is made through the plate and its hubs large enough to allow the largest size of cable intended to be covered to pass through freely; but the tubes h are made of different sizes and changed according to the size of wire or cable in hand to be covered.

The reel on which the covering material is held while in the machine and its support are shown in Fig. 1, and the construction of the reel in the section shown in Fig. 3.

A knee-plate r is bolted on the face of the plate a and has a vertical slot made in it. The stud a on which the reel turns has a fiat flange on its inner end, by which it-is fastened to the knee-plate by a screw-bolt 1* that passes through the stud-flange and the slot in the kneeplate. This arrangement allows the reel to be raised or lowered by sliding the bolt in the slot and to be set at any inclination by turning the stud-flange on the bolt, as the inclination of the reel depends on the width of the covering material and size of wire or cable covered.

The reel that holds the covering material consists of an under plate t, made with a hub having a hole through it to receive the stud a on which it turns. A similar plate 25, with a larger and shorter hub, has a hole through it fitted to slide on the hub of the plate 2;.

A screw 25' is tapped into the upper end of the stud a and a washer with its outer edge resting on the hub of the plate 1:, and a spring 77. between the screw-head and the washer are arranged so that when the screw i is screwed in, it will press .the plate 11' down and cause a friction between the plate and 0 the shoulder of the stud a Set-screws i in the hub of plate t serve to fasten it in any position desired. This construction allows the material to be wound in rolls and put on the reel by removing the plate 15 without changing the friction upon the reel, or the reel may be taken off of the stud and the material wound directly on it.

The manner of adjusting the tension of the strips in winding them on the wire or cable will be understood from Fig. 5.

lVhen the guidetube h is set on the platehub, so that its sloth" is near the reel, the strip 0 will not have far to go on the tube before entering the slot; but by setting the tube so as to carry the slot farther around, the strip will have to go farther around. (see dotted lines in Fig. 5) the tube before entering the slot, and it is evident there will be more friction between the tube and the strip, thereby increasing the tension. A collar 97. is fitted to slide on the guide-tube h, and a guide-pin 0 is inserted diagonally in the collar. A setscrew to" is tapped in one side of the collar to hold it fast on the tube. By setting this collar n a little to one side, so that the strip 0 will drag over the pin 0, a twist and bend can be given to the strip as it leaves the coil or roll, and prevent its edges from being frayed by rubbing against the face of the plates 2) t, which is necessary when a strip is used having no selvages.

A short horizontal driving-shaft s is held in bearings attached to the frame at each end at the lower front part of the machine, carry- .ing the driving-pulleys b on one end outside of the frame and a small gear-wheel e on its other end. A pair of bevel gear-wheels 2, one of which is fast on the shaft 5' and the other on the uprightshaft 8', convey motion by that shaft to the plates a and a and to the take-up or feed motion at the top of the machine, which is the same, essentially, as that described in my Letters Patent, No. 275,061, dated April 3, 1883. The motion is conveyed from the upright shaft 8 to the plates to a by means of the gearwheels y y, that are fast on the shaft. These engage with the gear- Wheels 0, which are held on studs movably fastened in slots in the tables d (1'. (See Fig. 4.) The gear-wheels c engage with the gear-wheels e, and the latter gear-wheels are held on studs secu red to the tables at a proper distance from the plates a a for the teeth of the gears to engage with those of the plates and turn them. The object of holding the gear-wheels c on studs placed in slots in the tables is to allow those wheels to be set so as to engage with the plates and by taking off the geaewheels e to reverse the motion of either one or both of the plates, so that the winding can be done in either direction with both plates or in opposite directions to each other.

The pinion-gear e on the end of the driving-shaft s engages with a larger gear-wheel 0 which is held on a stud in the side frame A, Fig.2, and a pulley Z, secured to the wheel 0 conveys motion by means of a belt Z to a geared reel 0, placed in a frame back of the machine to wind up the wire or cable I) as fast as it is delivered by the feed-motion, at the top of the machine.

A cup p is secured on the lower end of the hub a of each plate a, by means of a screw thread on the end of the hub and a similar thread in the opening in the cup to catch the dripping of the oil used to lubricate the bearing and prevent injury to the article being covered if it is rubber or other gum.

A sliding rod 0", held in slips attached to the lower table to shift the driving-belts, is operated by a lever d attached to the same table.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention is- 1. The guide-tube h,havingalongitudinal slot in one side and recessed out at its lower end to fit on the hub of plate a, and provided with a set-screw to hold it in place, in combination with said plate a, a reel attached to said plate, and mechanism to revolve the plate, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The collar n',furnished with a pin 0 and set-screw, substantially as described, in com-' bination with the tube h and plate to, having a reel attached to its face, for the purpose set forth.

3. A reel composed of a plate o, having a hollow hub on its face, the plate t, provided with a hub having a hole through it fitted to slide on the hub of the plate 0, washer s 

